"He's fearless, 45 kilograms and a very good navigator,'' he said. "Unlike racing in motor sport, where they drop a flag and the rest is down to me, rallying relies on very good communication between the navigator and the driver.

"He'll call out a corner number and I'll have to drive to that - whether I can see it or not.''

Miedecke has been racing since he was about 23 years old, fulfilling his childhood dream of becoming a race driver. He said the decision to buy his Perana stemmed back to his desire to own a Capri as a young man.